Network Effect, Aurelius Maximus return from long layoffs in Sunday allowance

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – If there was one area where trainer Chad Brown’s year was disappointing it was in the 3-year-old dirt division. Complexity won the 2018 Champagne, but could not repeat that effort in just two starts at age 3.

Network Effect and Aurelius Maximus, two horses who showed promise at 2, were hindered by injuries that prevented them from trying to get on the Triple Crown trail.

In fact, both Network Effect and Aurelius Maximus will be coming off year layoffs in a first-level allowance race going one mile Sunday at Aqueduct.

“It was very disappointing because I hold both horses in high regard,” Brown said of not being able to make any of the major races with either horse. “This is a good starting point for both of them to get back on track here.”

Network Effect, a son of Mark Valeski owned by Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables, won his debut in August of 2018 at Saratoga. He then finished second in both the Grade 3 Nashua and Grade 2 Remsen with Beyers in the 90s last fall at Aqueduct. He showed four works at Palm Meadows in January and February, but was then off the work tab until late July.

Aurelius Maximus, a son of Pioneerof the Nile owned by Stonestreet Stables, George Bolton, and Peter Leidel, won a one-mile maiden race in the slop at Belmont in September of 2018 in his second start. He finished fourth behind Complexity in the Grade 1 Champagne on Oct. 6, 2018. Aurelius Maximus did not hit the work tab until April. Throughout the spring and summer he alternated workouts at the track and at Stonestreet Farm in Ocala, Fla. He shows a regular pattern of works since September, including a bullet five-furlong move in 59.80 last Sunday at Belmont.

“Aurelius Maximus is a sharper horse that can probably handle the one-turn mile off the layoff a little better than Network,” Brown said. “That said, I think both horses will stretch out from here. I’m excited and relieved to finally get both on track. I hope they get a lot out of this race and stay sound exiting it.”

The eight-horse field includes Airtouch, a son of Tapit who beat the promising Free Enterprise in an Aug. 31 maiden race at Saratoga and finished second in a first-level allowance at Keeneland, plus Allured, I Love Jaxson, Gio d’Oro, Dark Storm, and Family Biz.